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List of firearms
The following is a list of firearms used by James Bond in the novel and film adventures. Novels Ian Fleming When Ian Fleming wrote the first of the James Bond novels, Casino Royale, he had no idea the direction in which the stories would go, let alone how many he would eventually write. So when he introduced, Bond as using a Beretta 418 in a flat chamois leather holster he probably didn't think too much about it. He had used such a gun during the Second World War when he was in Naval Intelligence and felt it was an appropriate sidearm for a secret agent on an undercover mission. Shortly before the publication of From Russia with Love in 1956, Fleming received a fan letter from a Major Geoffrey Boothroyd. Boothroyd was a retired Army Major and gun collector. Boothroyd told Fleming that he really admired the Bond novels apart from the hero's choice of weapon. He felt that the Beretta 418 was "a lady's gun" with no real stopping power. He also objected to the choice of holster. Boothroyd proposed that Bond should use a revolver like the Smith & Wesson Centennial Airweight. It had no external hammer, so it would not catch on Bond's clothes. The Smith & Wesson could be kept in a Berns-Martin triple draw holster held in place with a spring clip which would decrease Bond's draw time. Boothroyd also had bad words about the silencer Bond occasionally used, saying that they were rarely silent and reduced the power of a gun. Fleming replied, thanked the Major for his letter, and made a few points. He felt that Bond ought to have an automatic pistol; perhaps Boothroyd could recommend one? He agreed that the Beretta 418 lacked power, but pointed out that Bond had used more powerful weapons when the need required, such as the Colt Army Special he uses in Moonraker. Fleming also said that he had seen a silenced Sten gun during the war and the weapon had hardly made a whisper. Boothroyd recommended the Walther PPK 7.65mm as being the best choice for an automatic of that size, with its ammunition available everywhere. He suggested, however, that 007 ought to have a revolver for long-range work. Fleming asked Boothroyd if he could lend his illustrator Richard Chopping one of his guns to be painted for the cover of From Russia with Love. Boothroyd lent Chopping a .357 Magnum revolver that had the trigger guard removed for faster firing. Fleming had Bond's Beretta caught in his holster at the end of From Russia with Love, an event that almost costs the secret agent his life. In the next novel, Dr. No, a certain Major Boothroyd recommends that Bond switch guns. Bond is issued a Walther PPK but is told to carry it in a Berns-Martin triple draw holster, which is designed only to carry revolvers. This is an odd mistake given that Fleming had bought such a holster and had it sent to Jamaica. (It has been argued that Q-branch could have modified an excellent holster to accommodate automatics. Kingsley Amis John Gardner On March 20, 1974 an attempt was made to kidnap HRH Princess Anne. The Walther PPK of the police officer protecting her jammed and was subsequently withdrawn from service. When John Gardner was asked to write a new series of James Bond continuation novels, one of the first things he decided was to update Bond's trusty Walther PPK. Gardner devoted two pages in his first James Bond novel Licence Renewed to the debate over whether to use a revolver or an automatic, and what make and model, before finally settling on an older FN M1903 in 9mm Browning Long (9x20mmSR). Even Bond himself admits that it is an old gun. The original hardback cover illustration by Richard Chopping shows the FN pistol. After criticism from fans for choosing an old gun, Gardner replaced the gun three more times, eventually sticking to the ASP 9mm for the rest of the series. As he intended to downplay the gadgets in his books, Gardner compensated by bringing to the series a colorful arsenal of weapons from around the world. Raymond Benson When James Bond expert Raymond Benson was asked to take over writing the series, he briefly gave Bond back his Walther PPK. Benson also brought the series in line with the films and concurrently replaced Bond's PPK with the Walther P99 in the film novelisation Tomorrow Never Dies. In later novels Bond carried the PPK for undercover work and the P99 for overt work. Young Bond Films Official films The scene from the novel Dr. No is replayed more-or-less verbatim in the 1962 film, insuring the Walther PPK a place in cultural history. Bond shows a great deal more fidelity to his sidearm in the films than in the novels, even going so far as to take on an international arms dealer and hi-tech arms enthusiastic like Brad Whitaker armed only with an eight-shot, 7.65mm semi-automatic. As there is more gunplay in the recent film, Bond has changed to a more modern handgun, though it is still a Walther. There is also a greater use of assault rifles and submachineguns during the battle sequences. Unofficial films * Category:Lists